Not the Waleses Stories

2015: Trains

Karl is pacing the platform. “I didn’t see anything about engineering works online,” he frowns.

“Well, I assume track improvements don’t happen off the line,” I quip, hoisting my jeans up. Tom has lost a shoe already and my left breast is agony as we have been waiting for a train for longer than it takes Eva to choose breakfast cereal so Tom has not had his mid morning snack. I am wearing maternity jeans as everything is in the wash and although it’s gratifying that they are now much too big for me, they are now MUCH too big for me, so the tummy bit keeps slithering down. And I haven’t had coffee.

“It’s coming! It’s coming!” shouts Eva, beating her tiny arms against her raincoat (did I mention it was raining).

This was Karl’s idea. “Let’s take the children to see the boats,” he’d suggested brightly. And because Kate had been in Portsmouth that day trying to pretend it didn’t matter that Ben Ainslie hadn’t been able to join in a big race, I’d said ‘yes’. But now the track improvements, chest ache, baggy tummy bit and gale have taken the idea down a notch.

“That one goes to London,” says Karl.

“To see the dinosaurs? Can we go with it?” Eva says hopefully.

“On it. Can we go on it,” I correct.

“Yes. Can we? CAN WE GO WITH IT DADDY?” Eva’s bottom lip trembles. It’s a fair bet that tears are mixed in with the rain that lashes her eyelids.

Karl turns to me. “We’d have to be quick.”

“Will it have a buffet car?”

“It’s a Sunday, so n … yes. Yes, it will definitely have a buffet car,” says Karl, sensing the female members of his family slowly melting down.

The train on the opposite platform has now taken on holy grail proportions. I point the buggy decisively towards the footbridge and we break into a commendable trot. Karl warms to the idea as he spots an empty table through the steamed up windows. Eva hasn’t fallen over yet. We might just make it.

But on the homeward slope of the bridge, the train starts to slouch away.

“Wave to the driver,” Karl says encouragingly, crouching next to his daughter. I am humbled and cheered by my husband and two year old’s ability to see the best in a bad situation and so, to even things up a bit, I give the train the two fingered salute as it cruises past.

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